Phylogeny of the core Malvales: evidence from ndhF sequence data

The monophyly of the group comprising the core malvalean families, Bombacaceae, Malvaceae, Sterculiaceae, and Tiliaceae, was recently confirmed by molecular studies, but the internal structure of this clade is poorly understood. In this study, we examined sequences of the chloroplast ndhF gene (aligned length 2226 bp) from 70 exemplars representing 35 of the 39 putative tribes of core Malvales. The monophyly of one traditional family, the Malvaceae, was supported in the trees resulting from these data, but the other three families, as traditionally circumscribed, are nonmonophyletic. In addition, the following relationships were well supported: (1) a clade, /Malvatheca, consisting of traditional Malvaceae and Bombacaceae (except some members of tribe Durioneae), plus Fremontodendron and Chiranthodendron, which are usually treated as Sterculiaceae; (2) a clade, /Malvadendrina, supported by a unique 21-bp (base pair) deletion and consisting of /Malvatheca, plus five additional subclades, including representatives of Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae, and Durionieae; (3) a clade, /Byttneriina, with genera traditionally assigned to several tribes of Tiliaceae, plus exemplars of tribes Byttnerieae, Hermannieae, and Lasiopetaleae of Sterculiaceae. The most striking departures from traditional classifications are the following: Durio and relatives appear to be more closely related to Helicteres and Reevesia (Sterculiaceae) than to Bombacaceae; several genera traditionally considered as Bombacaceae (Camptostemon, Matisia, Phragmotheca, and Quararibea) or Sterculiaceae (Chiranthodendron and Fremontodendron) appear as sister lineages to the traditional Malvaceae; the traditional tribe Helictereae (Sterculiaceae) is polyphyletic; and Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae, as traditionally circumscribed, represent polyphyletic groups that cannot sensibly be maintained with their traditional limits for purposes of classification. We discuss morphological characters and conclude that there has been extensive homoplasy in characters previously used to delineate major taxonomic groups in core Malvales. The topologies here also suggest that /Malvatheca do not have as a synapormophy monothecate anthers, as has been previously supposed but, instead, may be united by dithecate, transversely septate (polysporangiate) anthers, as found in basal members of both /Bombacoideae and /Malvoideae. Thus, “monothecate” anthers may have been derived at least twice, independently, within the /Bombacoideae (core Bombacaceae) and /Malvoideae (traditional Malvaceae).     

Pre‐dispersal seed predators and fungi differ in their effect on Luehea seemannii capsule development,seed germination,and dormancy across two Panamanian forests

Pre‐dispersal seed predation can greatly reduce crop size affecting recruitment success. In addition, non‐fatal damage by seed predators may allow infection by fungi responsible for post‐dispersal seed losses. The objectives of this study were (1) to quantify pre‐dispersal seed predation and fungal infection in a Neotropical tree species, Luehea seemannii, that produces dehiscent fruits and wind‐dispersed seeds, and (2) to link pre‐dispersal effects on seed quality to seed survival in the soil. To examine how seed predators and fungi influence seed losses, mesh exclosures, fungicide, and the combination of both treatments were applied to separate branches in the canopy of trees in Gamboa and Parque Natural Metropolitano (PNM), Panama. To determine if treatments affect seed viability and survival in the soil, half of the seeds collected from each treatment were buried for 4 weeks in forest soils and subsequently allowed to germinate before and after the breaking of dormancy. Overall, 24 percent of developing fruit were lost to insect attack. In contrast, fungi infected only 3 percent of seeds at the pre‐dispersal stage. For seeds germinated directly after collection, fungicide significantly increased germination in the wetter site (Gamboa) but decreased germination in the drier site (PNM). The pre‐dispersal insect exclosure treatment increased the fraction of seeds that remained dormant after burial in the soil. This result suggests that exposure to insect predators may cause physical damage to seeds that results in the loss of physical dormancy but does not necessarily increase the susceptibility of seeds to pathogen attack in the soil.     

Neural networks and cluster analysis for unsupervised classification of cultivated species of Tilia (Malvaceae)

A case study of the classification of 19 species of the genus Tilia (Malvaceae) using morphological data is presented. The value of a self‐organizing map (SOM) neural network when applied to this problem is compared with that of a standard cluster analysis method. An interpretation of the results and a discussion of traditional classification systems are provided in order to evaluate the practical usefulness of the SOM methodology. The SOM technique is shown to provide an easily understandable two‐dimensional topological map which enables simple linear separation of taxonomic groups. Good separation of traditional infrageneric groups in Tilia is achieved and suggestions about changes to the existing classification are provided. It is concluded that the SOM and cluster analysis methods, whilst both producing results similar to existing classifications, are most effective at different hierarchical levels. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 300–314.     

梧桐科一些属的分类位置探讨

梧桐科（Ｓｔｅｒｃｕｌｉａｃｅａｅ）是锦葵目中的一个多型科,科的特征比较比样化。自从Ｅ．Ｐ．Ｖｅｎｔｅｎａｔ（１８３０）建立该科以来,对于该科范围和包含的属种数目,各国学者至今尚存在各种不同的看法。作者认为,火桐属（Ｅｒｙｔｈｒｏｐｓｉｓ）应当从梧桐属（Ｆｉｒｍｉａｎａ）中分出成为单独的属;午时花属（Ｐｅｎｔａｐｅｔｅｓ）不应归入锦葵科（Ｍａｌｖａｃｅａｅ）,应当置于梧桐科;田麻属（Ｃｏｒｃｈｏｒ     

Pollen Morphology of Craigia with Reference to Its Systematic Position

Due to the unique floral and pollen morphology of the genus Craigia its systematic position, whether in the family Sterculiaceae or in the family Tiliaceae, has often been debated. In order to add more evidence for solving this problem, a comparative study on pollen morphology of the genus and 15 species of 3 tiliaceous genera, viz.: Tilia Linn., Hainania Merr. and Excentrodendron Chang. et Miau. was carried out under the light and scanning electron microscope. The result shows that the polarity, the structure and position of the aperture of Craigia pollen differ from those in Tiliaceae but are similar to those in Sterculiaceae. From palynology, it is more appropriate to place the genus under discussion in Sterculiaceae than in Tiliaceae.     

Petenaeaceae,a new angiosperm family in Huerteales with a distant relationship to Gerrardina (Gerrardinaceae)

Petenaea cordata (from northern Central America) was first described in Elaeocarpaceae and later placed in Tiliaceae, but most authors have been uncertain about its familial affinities. It was considered a taxon incertae sedis in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification (APG III). A recent collection was made in Guatemala, and analysis of both rbcL and atpB in the large Soltis et al. angiosperm matrix, the most completely sampled study published to date, indicated a moderately supported relationship to Tapiscia (Tapisciaceae, the only member of the newly recognized order Huerteales in this matrix; 81% bootstrap support). We then conducted a more restricted analysis using the Bayer et al. rbcL/atpB matrix for Malvales supplemented with the other genera of Huerteales from published studies. Our results indicate a distant, weakly supported sister‐group relationship to the African genus Gerrardina (Gerrardinaceae; Huerteales). After comparison of the characters cited in the literature and an examination of herbarium material of both genera, we could find no obvious synapomorphies for Gerrardina and Petenaea or any other relationship of the latter, and we therefore propose the new monogeneric family, Petenaeaceae. The polymorphic order Huerteales now comprises four small families: Dipentodontaceae, Gerrardinaceae, Petenaeaceae and Tapisciaceae. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 164 , 16–25.     

Unrestricted quality of seeds in European broad-leaved tree species growing at the cold boundary of their distribution

Background and Aims

The low-temperature range limit of tree species may be determined by their ability to produce and disperse viable seeds. Biological processes such as flowering, pollen transfer, pollen tube growth, fertilization, embryogenesis and seed maturation are expected to be affected by cold temperatures. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of seeds of nine broad-leaved tree species close to their elevational limit.

Methods

We studied nine, mostly widely distributed, European broad-leaved tree species in the genera Acer, Fagus, Fraxinus, Ilex, Laburnum, Quercus, Sorbus and Tilia. For each species, seeds were collected from stands close to optimal growth conditions (low elevation) and from marginal stands (highest elevation), replicated in two regions in the Swiss Alps. Measurements included seed weight, seed size, storage tissue quality, seed viability and germination success.

Key Results

All species examined produced a lot of viable seeds at their current high-elevation range limit during a summer ranked ‘normal’ by long-term temperature records. Low- and high-elevation seed sources showed hardly any trait differences. The concentration of non-structural carbohydrates tended to be higher at high elevation. Additionally, in one species, Sorbus aucuparia, all measured traits showed significantly higher seed quality in high-elevation seed sources.

Conclusions

For the broad-leaved tree taxa studied, the results are not in agreement with the hypothesis of reduced quality of seeds in trees at their high-elevation range limits. Under the current climatic conditions, seed quality does not constitute a serious constraint in the reproduction of these broad-leaved tree species at their high-elevation limit.     

海南植物新记录

报道海南新记录植物4种和1变钟：腋花苋(Amaranthus roxburghianus),细辛锦香草(Phyllagathis asarifolia),三瓣锦香草(Phyllagathis ternata),狭萼扁担杆(Grewia angustisepala)和毛使君子(Quisqualis indica L．vat．villosa)。     

A synopsis of the neotropical genus Pentaplaris, with remarks on its systematic position within core Malvales

Pentaplaris davidsmithii from Peru and Bolivia andP. huaoranica from Ecuador are described and compared to the only other species previously known in the genus,P. doroteae from Costa Rica. Morphological and palynological characters support the inclusion ofPentaplaris in core Malvales while suggesting that the original assumption that the genus belonged in Tiliaceae-Brownlowieae cannot be maintained.Pentaplaris, which comprises three isolated and evidently rare species, probably belongs to the malvoid-bombacoid alliance, but its position within this clade ramains unresolved.     

A new δ-lactone from the flowers of Grewia asiatica

The structure of 3, 21, 24 trimethyl-5,7-dihydroxyhentriacontanoic acid δ-lactone, a new δ-lactone, isolated from the flowers of Grewia asiatica has been deduced on the basis of physico-chemical studies.